MS and PhD Scholarship in International HROD at NIDA 2011 in Thailand Read more: MS and PhD Scholarship in International HROD at NIDA 2011 in Thailan

Employer: NIDA
Level:MS and PhD
Scholarship Description:Human Resource Development has played a vital role in building a strong national foundation and strengthening national capacity. It has become a key success factor in maintaining a sustainable competitive advantage as well as adding more value and quality to social capital which becomes indispensible in the time of uncertainty and economic recession. In order for Thailand to adapt to changes effectively, a well-designed PhD. program in HROD that can generate knowledgeable scholars is necessary.

The Doctor of Philosophy program in Human Resource and Organization Development (HROD) is designed for experienced practitioners and researchers who wish to refine and broaden their knowledge in the area of human resources and organization development through the emphasis on a solid education grounded in both theories and practices from micro and macro perspectives of private, public, and international organizations.

Scholarship Application Deadline:22 April,2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application

Read more: MS and PhD Scholarship in International HROD at NIDA 2011 in Thailand : College Scholarship Positions: PhD Scholarships, Postdoctoral, Graduate College International Scholarships Fellowships
http://scholarship-positions.com

Second Annual ETS TOEIC® Scholarship Program Offered in Taiwan

ETS and Taiwan-Based Distributor, Chun Shin Limited, Recognize Excellence Among Taiwan's Students

PRINCETON, NJ--(Marketwire - February 27, 2011) - Educational Testing Service (ETS) and Taiwan Country Master Distributor, Chun Shin Limited, are, for the second year, offering the ETS TOEIC^® Scholarship Program in Taiwan. ETS, which annually administers new and renewable awards in the United States and abroad, will coordinate the scholarship program with Chun Shin. The scholarship recognizes those who have excellent ability in English, commitment to global values, and a desire to contribute to society.

"The scholarship program was an overwhelming success last year and there remains a need to support Taiwanese students who are developing English-language skills to compete in the global workplace," said David Hunt, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ETS's Global Division. "ETS and Chun Shin are confident that the dedication displayed by Taiwan's students to their academics, community and career goals will assure each of them bright futures."

ETS, the creator of the TOEIC^® test, will honor 50 Taiwanese students by awarding a total of USD$50,000 (TWD$1.5 million) in scholarships to pay for academic studies and expenses. The TOEIC score requirement is 700 for high school students, and 750 for university and graduate school students. Chun Shin began accepting applications for the ETS TOEIC Scholarship Program in Taiwan on February 15, 2011. The application deadline is August 31, 2011. Winners will be announced and awarded in December 2011.

"We expect to see a greater number of students contribute to society through this scholarship program," says T. J. Shao, Chairman of Chun Shin, Taiwan. "It is our privilege to be able to offer these scholarships to another group of young people who are willing to help their peers and community."

To be eligible, scholarship recipients must be nationals of the Republic of China who are currently in high school, university, vocational school or graduate school. Students must submit a valid TOEIC^® Listening and Reading or TOEIC^® Speaking and Writing test score meeting the minimum score requirements. Furthermore, each application must include a valid transcript, letter of recommendation and personal essay written in English. Finalists will demonstrate active use of English by helping others to enhance international communication while taking part in domestic and international activities related to academics or volunteering.

Celebrating 30 years of service to organizations worldwide, the TOEIC test is the global standard for measuring workplace English communication skills. Used by more than 10,000 organizations in 120 countries worldwide, over six million TOEIC tests are administered annually.

For application details and additional information, visit www.toeic.com.tw/scholarship.html.

Contact:
Christine Betaneli
1-609-683-2676
mediacontacts@ets.org

Click here to see all recent news from this company

British Embassy offers scholarships for Koreans

The Chevening scholarship scheme is now accepting applications at the British Embassy in South Korea.

The prestigious scheme offers talented graduates and young professionals the chance to study for postgraduate qualifications at universities in the United Kingdom.

The Chevening scholarships cover the full cost of one year of postgraduate study in the United Kingdom from 2011-2012.

Over 800 Koreans have been supported by the Chevening scheme so far, which attracts some of the best and brightest young people from around the world.

On their return to Korea, the alumni benefits from membership of the Korean Association of Chevening Alumni.

The association, which is only open to Chevening alumni, provides the returnees with a valuable network of contacts.

The scholarship will not fund English language courses, such as TEFL but will support a wide range of fields such as studies in politics; international affairs; law fields including human rights and international law; climate change and energy; development studies; public administration; corporate governance and fighting corruption; finance and economics; science and media studies including journalism, new media and mass communications.

Applications for the scheme must be submitted online by March 4. Further information on how to apply will be posted at http://ukinkorea.fco.gov.uk.

'First Thai Exec Coaching School Likely in two years'

By Pichaya Changsorn
The Nation
Published on February 28, 2011

Thailand's first executive coaching school is expected to be established within the next couple of years, says Apiwut Pimolsaengsuriya, a leading executive coach and executive director of Orchid Slingshot, a leading training, coaching and consulting company.
read more

Horrors of the hot seat the dreaded english interview

Many Thais know the mechanics of the language better than native speakers, but forcing them to use it is usually a mutually frustrating exercise in futility

A long time ago I was interviewing some young Thais for the position of cub reporter. I'd been through 10 candidates and tunnel vision was starting to set in.

This was neither the fault of the candidates nor related to any residual effects of recreational drugs I may have been taking, such as Tylenol or Lomotil. It's just that three hours non-stop of being nice and careful with my English was taking its toll.

read more

Teaching English Conversation to South Korean students

Confucianism emphasizes that society is hierarchical and that all people are in a lower or higher position in the hierarchy. The only people who have equal status in Korean society are “friends”, that is people of same age who have a defined relationship, thus who belong to one same organization, that being a school, company, temple or church.

Koreans insist that conversation is reserved to people who have the status of “friends”. That is, someone of a higher position, say someone older and someone younger, should not converse. It is the older person “teaching” the younger person and the younger person “listening to” the older person.

This is in part why Americans have trouble having conversations with Koreans. This is also part of the reason why Koreans are reluctant to have non-scripted conversations during English conversation classes.

Confucian culture also emphasizes that one’s reputation – face or chaemyon – should be kept intact. Koreans thus want to take time to think about what they say before they say it in public.

Tips to teach conversation classes in Korea

1. Ask simple questions then pair up in groups

So that Koreans avoid losing face when talking in public without having taken prior notes, it is best to ask students a question and then pair them in groups or groups of three and ask them to discuss the topic between themselves.

For example, if you ask them “why do you learn English”, a group of two Korean students will discuss the topic between themselves. As the teacher, you can travel around the classroom to make sure they are trying the answer. A few minutes later, you can ask them to answer the question publicly.

2. Tell students to think about a topic before they come to class

Korean students like being prepared before they talk about a certain topic. They don’t like improvising on topics. One way to get them prepared is to ask them to think about a certain topic the previous day. One example could be “tomorrow we will talk about shopping. Prepare a list of where you like shopping”.

Students will then come with a paragraph with notes related to the topic they were asked to prepare. That way when they discuss the topic in class they will be prepared. Again, asking them to discuss questions with a classmate before they openly discuss it is best.

3. Give students an article with a few written questions before they discuss the article

Another way to get students prepared is to give them an article and four or five questions that they will have to answer at home. The article could be drawn from Korean newspapers such as the Korea Herald or the Korea Times.

Avoid articles that deal with politics or North Korea. Prefer articles that deal with Korean culture, food or education. Make sure there is something Korean about the article. Then ask students to write a short paragraph to answer each of the questions you asked them.

4. Don’t encourage students to argue or contradict each other

Korean culture is inspired from Confucian values and ideals and only people who consider themselves “friends”, that is who are the same age and who belong to the same institution, are allowed to contradict each other in private circles.

Make sure you avoid asking students whether they agree or disagree with the answer given by certain students. Students who give deliberately provocative answers are rare, and even then, avoid asking student to contradict them.

5. Don’t make comments or give your opinion during conversations – even sarcastic comments

One thing foreign professors often do is comment on student’s answers or give their opinion when students answer certain questions. Students are often bothered by such behavior as it could cause to lose face.

Also avoid sarcasm or confronting students on their answers as it could cause them to lose face. Body language usually does the trick, so if you find a student’s remark provocative or wrong, simply stare at them.

Finally, avoid getting technical or scientific when discussing topics. I remember a classroom that went silent when the teacher started explaining genetics and hormones, as most student found the teacher’s intervention too technical and irrelevant to the topic.

Read more at Suite101: Teaching English Conversation to South Korean students http://www.suite101.com/content/teaching-english-conversation-to-south-korean-students-a352848#ixzz1FDHEoei1

Bangkok - Teddy Bears’ Adventure Picnic at KIS International School

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When: Saturday 26 February 2011 | Time: 10:00 to 12:00

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Teddy Bears’ Adventure Picnic at KIS International School

Are you looking for something fun and unique to do with your young children? KIS would like to warmly invite you and your family to join the Teddy Bears’ Adventure Picnic on Saturday 26th February from 10.00am-12.00pm. The picnic is open to all families living in
Bangkok with young children and the planned activities are ideal for children aged between 2 and 6 years old. There will be a ‘Best Dressed Bear’ Competition, Treasure Hunt, Puppet Show, Arts and Crafts activities and snacks and drinks. The entry price will be Bt 200 per family. A free courtesy van will run to and from the MRT at the Thailand Cultural Centre, exit 2.

Join us and you will have a ‘beary’ good time! Reserve your tickets today via email kim@kis.ac.th

NOTES FOR EDITORS:
KIS International School is an IB world school authorized to offer all three IB Programmes- the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and the IB Diploma Programme. The school was established in 1998 from the vision of a team of enthusiastic and dedicated partners and parents who sought to develop a quality international school for students in Bangkok. KIS International School is licensed by the Thai Ministry of Education. It is an active member of the International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT). KIS is authorised by the International Baccalaureate and is an accredited member of the Council of International Schools (CIS).

Contact:
Linda Belonje
Marketing and Development Director
Tel: 02-274-3444 ext. 4116, Email: linda@kis.ac.th
KIS International School 999/124 Kesinee Ville, Pracha-Utit Road, Huay Kwang, Bangkok 10320 Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2274 3444 Fax +66 (0) 2274 3452 E-mail info@kis.ac.th www. kis.ac.th

Survey: 55% of Korean Jobseekers Studying for English Tests

A recent survey suggests that over half of all Korean jobseekers are preparing for some kind of English language speaking test as the ability to speak English becomes more and more important in getting hired.
According to the survey released on Friday by the job portal site Job Korea and Woongjin Qspeaking, out of 384 respondents, 55 percent said they were studying to take a standardized English speaking test such as the TOEIC.
The highest number of people not preparing to take any English speaking test said the reason was that the tests are too expensive.
Only about 16 percent of jobseekers said English is not required in the job they're looking for.

Twig launches online science teaching resource

Digital / UK

Twig, a science teaching resource, has launched its website providing learning support materials covering all aspects of the science curriculum for pupils up to GCSE level.

Designed and built in-house, www.twig-it.com features 500 short films, each researched, scripted, edited and produced by the Twig production team and tailor-made for the classroom. Each of the 500 Twig films have been made in a state-of the-art digital production facility in Glasgow with input from academic scientists across the UK.

Everything from the choice of music, use of graphics and duration of each film is geared towards creating films which engage and motivate students of all abilities while fulfilling curriculum learning requirements. The films are made using the latest documentary footage from more than 20 international film archives, with the footage edited to make films of 2 to 3 minutes that are easily included within a lesson and will inspire students with the wonder of science.

The Twig team includes teachers and academics to ensure the content fulfils the exacting requirements of the Science curriculum, while the mind-map interface allows the user to seek out their own links and build their own learning patterns, enabling the learner to control the pace at which they learn.

IELTS Speaking test in Karachi, Pakistan – February 2011

IELTS Speaking questions below were shared by S, who had her exam in Pakistan recently. S remembered the following:

Speaking test

Interview

- What is your name?
- What is your hometown?
- Did you study about the history of your hometown at school?
- What is your hometown famous for?
- How often do you watch movies?
- What is the difference between watching movie in the cinema or at home?
- When did you last attend a party where people were dancing?
- Have you ever taken dancing lessons? Why?

Cue Card

Describe any clothing given to you as a gift recently. Please say
- Who gave you the gift?
- What did it look like?
- How did you feel about it?

Discussion

- What is your opinion about the popularity of designer clothing?
- Do you think it’s a good idea to give and receive clothes as a gift?
- Where are women of your hometown usually shopping?
- Why do you think designer clothes are expensive?
- Have you ever bought clothing on the Internet?
- Do you think it is safe to buy clothes on internet?
- Is it good to shop online?

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Another Robot Enters Korean Classrooms as Automated Teaching Advances

5 Comments

February 26th, 2011 by Aaron Saenz

South Korea's latest classroom robot is Robosem from Yujin.

In the next three years, South Korea is going to suffer a massive invasion. Not from the North, but from robots conquering its classrooms. As part of the nation’s big plans for introducing automated systems to all levels of education, major robotics developers have been unveiling new designs for machines that could help students learn. Since late last year, Yujin Robotics has been demonstrating Robosem, a telepresence enabled bot that can teach basic lessons or allow a remote human instructor to teleconference into a class. It recently complete several weeks of testing in elementary schools. Like many other such platforms, Yujin’s bot is focused on English instruction (a subject that has required Korea to import many foreign tutors). Check out all the great pics of the classroom friendly robot below. Robosem is just one of many different machines that could help South Korea achieve its goal of placing a robot in every kindergarten by 2013.

Like many other classroom robots we’ve covered in the past, Robosem pairs a large LCD display with teleconference accessories (camera, mic, speakers, etc) wrapped inside a friendly frame meant to appeal to younger audiences. It comes loaded with several lessons it can step children through autonomously, or it can be operated remotely as a telerobot for live instruction via its monitor. Many thanks to PlasticPals for recognizing that Robosem is an adaptation of Yujin’s CafeRo service robot the company revealed several years ago. It’s unclear if Robosem’s arms are for gesturing use only, or if they can grasp trays and lift light objects as Cafero’s could. Undoubtedly the acoustic and visual sensors developed to help Cafero navigate a crowded restaurant will serve Robosem well in the chaos of a kindergarten.

South Korea has been one of the leaders (perhaps the leader) in pushing for educational robots in traditional classroom settings. The fact that they have attracted not one, but many successful companies to develop machines that could satisfy their 2013 goal is a great sign that the nation might actually be successful to that end. A generation of young students would not only have the direct experience of working with robots, they may be inspired to pursue a career in that industry or science in general.

If South Korea is ultimately able to integrate robotics into their education system, I think we can expect many other countries to adopt the technologies that are developed for their goals. Other nations should take note of this investment. Want global industries to take your cultural norms and your preferences into consideration when developing a ground breaking device? The first to sponsor visionary projects are the ones that set the terms. Maybe the Robot Race will be to the 21st Century what the Space Race was to the 20th.

My fingers are crossed.

Yeah, if I was mobbed by kids I'd be panicked too. Run, Robosem, run for your life! Their fingers carry deadly sticky diseases!

In my day, the back of this teacher bot would have been covered in spitballs. These modern kids are way too polite to robots.

The following pics are from an earlier demonstration in October of 2010. Photos by Chris Chesher.

[image credits: MSN, CCDaily News, Chris Chesher via Flickr]
[sources: MSN, CCDailyNews, PlasticPals]

Related Posts:

• A Robot in Every Korean Kindergarten by 2013?
• South Korea’s Robot Teachers To Test Telepresence Tools in the New Year
• Armed Robots Deployed By South Korea in Demilitarized Zone
• South Korea's Robot Machine Gun Turret Can See You Coming 3 km Away
• Invasion of the Robot Teachers! (Video)

USA Weymouth volunteer can now fulfil Cambodian dream

By Laura Kitching »
A WEYMOUTH man has achieved his goal of working with underprivileged children in Cambodia.

Simon Angell, 21, held a series of fundraising events in order to raise the additional £450 he needed to secure a place on the challenge of a lifetime.

He combined his fundraising proceeds with money he had saved up at a Christmas job in the town centre Debenhams to pay for the trip in full.

Mr Angell, of Preston, Weymouth is now undertaking three months of volunteer work in schools in the Siem Reap area of Cambodia, with non-profit organisation Bunac.

He said: “I've been placed at Salarin Kampuchea, who are a small organisation founded in 2003 when four Swiss people fell in love with Cambodia whilst doing voluntary work at Akira’s Landmine Museum in Siem Reap.

“They are a not-for-profit organisation founded with the aim of helping a large number of Cambodians have the opportunity to enhance their own and their families lives through education.

“My role will be teaching assistant, helping out with classes and lesson planning, as well as taking my own classes to benefit the local people and gain some valuable skills myself.”

Mr Angell caught the volunteering bug last summer when he assisted special needs youngsters in America.

He gave up his job in an estate agency to take part in Camp Greentop in Maryland from June to August 2010.

He achieved his latest fundraising target by carrying out a five kilometre charity run, an eight-hour awareness event in Debenhams, and a cake sale in the store’s staff restaurant. Mr Angell, who had to have eight injections before he flew out to Cambodia earlier this month, said he could not wait to begin the adventure.

Now in Cambodia, he has completed his four-day orientation and is helping to teach evening classes from 4.30pm to 8.30pm in both the organisation’s schools and prepare lessons with the teachers at the office three mornings a week.

Mr Angell said he was looking forward to helping at the ‘grass-roots’ level of the community.

He added: “I would like to thank everyone who has supported me with fundraising activities and donations, their support has been greatly appreciated.”

From left to right, Naomi Burke, Jack Baker, Emily Carlile, Simon Angell

Upwards of 100 foreign language students dead or missing in New Zealand earthquake

The number of people missing from a language school in the Canterbury Television building which was toppled by Tuesday's earthquake has been revised up to 61.

The directors of the King's Education's English and healthcare schools have been trying to track down more than 100 students known to have been in Christchurch at the time of the earthquake.

The directors say they now believe nine staff and 52 students are missing and presumed to have been in the building when it collapsed.

The group includes 26 students from Japan, 14 from China, seven from the Philippines, three from Thailand, one from Korea and one from the Czech Republic.

The directors say the whereabouts of another 21 students remains unknown.

Thai teachers go to Penang for English exposure

DISTED College, Penang recently hosted 43 teachers from two schools in Thailand on a study tour to expose them to an English-speaking teaching environment and opportunities for educational collaboration.

Mahavajiravudh Songkhla School director Satcha Srichareon said the exposure to teaching in English was useful for the teachers.

“At my school, English is used to teach the sciences, mathematics and social studies. English is also an important medium for using Internet resources.

“So it’s useful to broaden my teachers’ horizons on English-medium teaching system such as that practised by private tertiary institutions in Penang,” he said.

Meanwhile, Donmuang Taharnargardbumrung School director Salinee Mecharoen said, “We’d like to gain more insight into the courses and the teaching and learning activities at institutions of higher learning here.”

She added that the school was looking at opportunities for its students to attend summer courses and further their studies in Penang.

The study tour included a workshop for the teachers with DISTED administration manager Josephine Chan Ie Lyn, who illustrated the use of newspapers in teaching English, Science and Mathematics.

She also spoke about courses and training available for Thai students and teachers.

“Besides English enrichment and study tour programmes for students, we also provide communication skills training for Thai teachers,” Chan said.

Print + eBook (Fiction & Non-Fiction)

The best sellers of fiction and nonfiction titles on a single list. Note the fascinating breakdown of eBook + Print versions of these top 10 best sellers.

In 7 of the 10 books, the electronic version has outsold the print version.

>
click for ginormous graphic

>

Source:
One Big List
MATTHEW ERICSON
NYT Book Review February 23, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/02/27/books/review/bestsellers-weekly-graphic.html

Japan finances school construction in poor district of Laos

(KPL) The Japanese government has provided grant assistance of USD 46,989 for financing the construction of Nakham Primary School in Aid district, Houaphanh province.

The assistance for the educational basic development project in southern Laos is under the Grant Assistance Scheme for Grassroots Human Security Projects.

An agreement on the grant assistance was signed here yesterday between the Japanese Ambassador to Laos Junko Yokota and Deputy Director of the Office of Education of Aid district Khamla Kovongsay.

The government of Japan has so far provided grant assistance to construct 16 primary schools in this northeastern province under its Grant Assistance Scheme for Grassroots Human Security Projects, according to Ms. Junko Yokota.

“There is an acute shortage of school facilities in rural and remote areas in the Lao PDR, especially in Houaphanh province, and a number of school children face the problem of access to primary education. It is expected that primary education in these areas will be significantly improved through this project,” said Yokota.

“On behalf of Aid district, I would like to express thanks to the Japanese government and people for their provision of financial assistance for school construction and human resource development in Laos as a whole, and Aid district in particular. I hope that we would receive further assistance from the Japanese government,” said Mr. Khamla Kovongsay.

Source: KPL Lao News Agency

Vietnam enters top 10 countries of studying abroad in US

(VOV) - Vietnam continues to lead the Southeast Asian region in the number of university and college students studying in the US, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE).

In recent decades, the number of Vietnamese students in the US has increased by six times.

In the IIE’s annual Open Doors 2010, Vietnam is placed 9^th in the world’s ranking list (with 13,112 students) and the 2^nd position in colleges.

The IIE’s Director in Vietnam, Helen Huntley, said the US has 72 universities in the world’s top 200.

This year, the institute will exhibit US education in Rex Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City on March 3 and in Melia Hotel, Hanoi on March 4 for Vietnamese students and their parents to have direct exchanges with representatives from US universities and colleges.

Singapore offers scholarships in economics

JAKARTA: The Singapore Accountancy Academy-Global Education (SAA-GE) program says it will offer scholarships for its newest international program, a diploma in economics, to one eligible student per country, focusing on the Asia Pacific region.

“We will offer one scholarship for one country. The scholarship is full. It will be given to those who can meet the requirements,” SAA-GE academic program head Michael Cope said on the sidelines of the diploma’s launch.

“We will carry out standard recruitment for this scholarship program. The applicants should be 18 years old at a minimum, graduates of senior high schools with excellent scores, able to speak English fluently and have excellent scores in math,” he said as quoted by kompas.com.

All applicants must pass interview sessions, he said.

Indonesian students had a chance to get the scholarship as long as they could meet all the requirements, Michael said. — JP

IELTS test in Thailand – February 2011(Academic Module)

Listening test

Section 1. Information on a climbing course.
Questions: Filling in the blanks.

Section 2. Information about a tour in a desert.
Questions: Multiple choice / filling in the blanks.

Section 3. Information on Solar Purification Water System.
Questions: Multiple choice / filling in the blanks.

Section 4. Don’t remember.

Reading test

Passage 1. About a female student in the university of Bologna.
Passage 2. About the cooperation between cars and trucks on Euro zone roads.
Passage 3. Don’t remember.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

There were graphs showing sales figures of music CDs between the years 1998 – 2004.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Do women play an equal role to men in the police force or military force? Discuss, what is your opinion?

Speaking test

Interview

- What is your name?
- What do you do for a living?
- When was the last time that you gave or received gifts?
- Do you like receiving gifts?
- What is more enjoyable, giving or receiving gifts?

Cue Card

Describe what type of books you prefer the most (Novels, Sports, Travel Books)? Please say:

- Why do you like this particular genre?
- When did you first discover it?
- Please name a few of your favorite books.
- How often do you read these days?

Discussion

Don’t remember.

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IELTS Writing Task Questions and answer examples

The following are IELTS test questions collected from the Internet. Here are some examples of my student's essays to them. Hope they get you started on your own essays.

Happy writing!
Teacher Charlie

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Some people think robots can improve humans’ life in the future, while others think robots may affect society in a bad way. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Student's examples:

Robots: Good or not?

Robots have been around a long time in science fiction but only recently have they made their way into mainstream society. Many feel robotics is beneficial to industry but others feel potential evils to mankind.

Benefits would include work force cost reduction including such things as salaries, health benefits, pensions, bonuses, etc. Robots have proven themselves as useful tools in factory automation speeding up and increasing the overall quality of manufactured goods such as automobiles. Robots can work 24/7 and require no sick days or holidays.

However, the bad things are high development cost, the necessity for complex and sophisticated control systems, loss of skilled workers in the areas the robots replace and the need for the hiring of outside expertise.

Single facilities such as the new Heninken brewery in Spain can have a cost of 1.2 billion baht. This amount of investment precludes smaller, entrepreneurial endeavors from competing in these sectors making use of robotic technology. Only huge multi-national corporations will be able to compete in high volume efforts such as packaging and manufacturing.

In conclusion, if corporations use the cost savings of robotic technology and pass on the unit cost savings to the consumer, automation might be viewed as beneficial to humanity. However, corporations being corporations, with the stated purpose of making profit, the likely hood of this happening in my opinion is very small. I therefore view robotics as being bad overall.

Essay example concerning an invitation to dinner.

Student's examples:

Dear John,

Thank you so much for your invitation to dinner. Glad to hear you are coming back to Bangkok so soon.

I am pretty busy at work the week you return so I would like to suggest we meet Friday evening after work finished for me. I know you like seafood like me and would like to suggest a new friend’s restaurant on Soi Asok. It is called ‘Charlie’s Seafood Palace’ and is near Soi Asok BTS and MRT stations.

I should be finished with work around 7PM and would love to hook up with you at 8 at Charlie’s. It is across from the XYZ Hotel on Asok and easy to find. I will be brining my wife Montana with me and hope you have a friend as well. Maybe dancing afterwards?

Great to hear you’re back in the City of Angels again. See you Friday!

Writing task 1 (a letter)

You have purchased a new electronic item last week, but it has arrived damaged. Write a letter to the shop manager to complain about this. In your letter explain
- What was the product?
- What was the fault?
- What do you ask the manager to do?

Student's examples:

I know you are busy but I would like to ask you to help me.

Last week I ordered your HP Laser Printer over the Internet and it arrived damaged. The box was crushed on one corner and when I opened it, the printer was cracked.

I would like to return the product to you for an undamaged unit. What procedure do I need to follow to send it back?

Kind regards

Writing Task 2 (an essay)

Some people believe that traveling is a valuable experience; others say it is a waste of time and money. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Student's examples:

Traveling abroad has both advantages and disadvantages. Foreign travel although exciting and entertaining is expensive for most Thais.

Going overseas for those who love to fly can be tiring and difficult due to security queues, immigration and customs procedures.

Upon arrival, discovering a new land and culture is always fun. It however, can be difficult due to foreign foods, language, customs and alien ideas and traditions.

Although in today’s modern world there are many problems, I feel they are overcome by the knowledge, experience and excitement of foreign countries.

Student's examples:

Thailand

In Thailand, travel is mostly good but sometimes dangerous. Travel by train is relaxing but often very late. Plane flights are quick and fun but expensive and have limited destinations. Buses are the main choice of Thais and are inexpensive but can be dangerous due to drivers, roads and weather problems. As more Thais become rich they buy cars but their experience at motorway and long distance driving is very limited.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Overcrowding has been increasing in cities and states. What are the reasons and remedies needed to avoid it?

Brainstorming:

Problems Importance Ranking

- jobs 1

- income, salaries, wages 2

- unemployment 5

- education 3

- entertainment -

- access to resources 4

Solutions

Physical barriers -
internal passports -
police checkpoints -
family planning/education 1
new cities/urban areas -
planned communities 2
residence tax -
infrastructure 3

Introduction:

Overcrowding in urban environments is a growing global concern. Reasons are job, income, education, access to resources and unemployment. Remedies might include family planning, planned communities and better and newer infrastructure. (31 words)

Seeking employment is at the top of any list for people migrating from rural settings into the urban sprawl of modern cities. Having access to better schools and teachers is also another high priority objective of many families as well as access to resources such as the Internet, language schools, commuter systems and health care facilities. Jobs are usually far easier to come by in urban areas with wages being significantly higher than those found in agricultural communities.

Remedies to the hyper-growth being experienced by many megacities has to include government subsidized family planning. China has led the world with this with its ‘one child per family’ policies. Planned communities where ‘new cities’ are planned around urban mass transit allowing fast and easy access to urban centers is also critical. In high density areas ‘building up’ is the only real solution. (Note: Essay not completed in class.)

Six Thai nursing students missing in New Zealand quake

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วันพุธ ที่ 23 ก.พ. 2554

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BANGKOK, Feb 23 -- The Thai embassy in New Zealand's capital of Wellington reported that six Thai nursing students were missing in the Christchurch earthquake after buildings in the city collapsed in the catastrophic earthquake which resulted in nearly 400 dead or missing, according to Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Jesda Katavetin.

Mr Jesda, deputy director general of the Foreign Ministry's Information Department, told reporters that the embassy had already given the list of the missing students to the search and rescue authorities to search for them.

He said that all six were nursing students. Witnesses saw 11 students walked into a building that later collapsed in Tuesday's shallow, 6.3-magnitude tremor. Five were reportedly safe but six went missing.

However, he said the search and rescue workers rescued more than 100 victims from the debris but could not confirm their identities.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that a number of nurses taking courses at the school were missing, including six from Thailand, two from Japan and one from China.

Thai Ambassador Noppadon Theppitak was quoted as saying that there were three categories of casualties: those confirmed dead, those who were injured and rescued but yet to be identified by the New Zealand authorities; and those who are still beneath buildings.

Mr Jesda said that the embassy officials on Thursday would visit the scene while four or five homes of Thais living in the city were damaged from the quake.

Some of the Thai victims did not stay at Buddha Samakhee temple which the embassy had designated as their temporary shelter, but opted to stay at the homes of relatives, he said.

The deputy director general added that communication in Christchurch was still difficult as telephone calls were disrupted for some time.

Teams from Australia, Japan, the United States, Britain, Singapore and Taiwan were to join hundreds of local rescuers digging through the rubble in the second largest city of New Zealand. (MCOT online news)

Chinese language, culture experience center unveiled in Thailand

Wow! This is one really big school!!!

15:45, February 23, 2011

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The opening ceremony for the first Chinese language and cultural experience center established in northern Thailand was held in a school in north Thailand on Feb. 21.

The center has an area of 256 square kilometers and is divided into four rooms. About 10 touchscreen multimedia terminals have been set in the center for paper cutting, calligraphy and tourism experience.

By Wang Qianyuanxue, People's Daily Online

Is Thailand’s Prime Minister a British citizen?

February 23, 2011

This is a question of whether they can bring a case and not whether the Court should or will accept the case. If there are no grounds to bring a case, the ICC can simply dismiss the case so, for the red shirts to have any hope, Abhisit has to be a UK citizen.

This is an update to a previous post looking at whether Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is a British citizen. Please note, and as mentioned below, this is not a question of his eligibility to be Thai PM, but if he is a British citizen then that it may be possible to bring a case to the ICC because the UK is a signatory – Thailand is not.

Ready for a new Poll ?

Patrick Winn for Global Post:

The British government, however, would not confirm the renunciation when contacted by GlobalPost. “We don’t comment on individual cases,” said Sam Eversden with the U.K. Home Office. “Even if it’s the prime minister of Thailand.”

Abhisit was undoubtedly a U.K. citizen at one point. The prime minister was born in Newcastle, England, in 1964 to Thai parents. Anyone born on British soil before 1983 was automatically conferred U.K. citizenship by law.

The premier’s name at birth was “Mark A. Vejjajiva,” according to a U.K. birth registry obtained by GlobalPost through an online records agency. He also holds Thai citizenship, as does any person born to two parents with Thai citizenship regardless of location.

“He has the right to citizenship in both countries: one obtained from blood, one obtained from being born on the land,” said Bongkot Napaumporn from the Bangkok Legal Clinic at Thailand’s Thammasat University. “There is no law forbidding double citizens.”

Though any proof of U.K. citizenship would scar Abhisit politically, it probably wouldn’t terminate his premiership.

There is no Thai law forcing politicians to renounce their second citizenship before assuming power, Bongkot said. However, a second citizenship can be revoked if Thai authorities determine it jeopardizes national security, she said.

BP: Patrick has obtained an image of the UK birth registry – although there is no doubt that Abhisit was born in the UK. BP is not sure that what Bongkot says is correct about revoking a second citizenship. The Thai authorities cannot revoke his UK citizenship. Revocation of or renunciation of UK citizenship has to be done in accordance with UK law. Of course, if she means second citizenship as in Thai citizenship, well yes the Thai authorities can renounce that.

At yesterday’s rally, the red shirts raised it again per Reuters:

Thailand has not ratified the ICC’s Rome Statute, meaning the ICC has no jurisdiction. However, red shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan told the crowd that Abhisit could be investigated, claiming the premier held both British and Thai nationality. The British-born Abhisit told Thai television on Saturday he was a Thai citizen and was classed as a foreign student while at Britain’s Eton College and Oxford University. However, he did not explicitly deny holding dual nationality.

BP: Thai Rath has the quote in Thai, which is as Reuters reports. That Abhisit paid the higher fee while studying is irrelevant as noted in the previous post because in the UK it is residency and not nationality which allows one to pay the lower local fee. One can be a British citizen, but if you are deemed to be only in the UK to receive full-time education then you pay the higher overseas/foreign fee. Given Abhisit returned to Thailand after his studies and his family was in Thailand, it would not be surprising if it was concluded he was not ordinarily resident as the main purpose of residence was to receive full-time education. Hence, if the rules were followed Abhisit should have been required to pay the foreign/overseas fee – which he states he did – and this does not mean he is not a British citizen…

See original here:
Is the Thai PM a British citizen? Part II

Vietnamese teacher attains top IELTS score

HA NOI — Tran Hoai Giang, 24, a teacher of English from the Viet Nam National University of Ha Noi become the first Vietnamese to score 9/9 in her IELTS – (International English Language Testing System) listening, reading and writing test. Giang took the IELTS exam on January 15 at a Viet Nam IDP Education centre in Ha Noi. IDP Education operates a network of 75 offices in 29 countries around the world.

IELTS test in Manila, Philippines – February 2011 (General Training)

Writing test

Writing Task 1 (a letter)

You have attended short course training at Canada. Your friend wants to attend the same course and he/she sent you a letter to ask about it. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

- Tell what you did in the short course.
- Explain how it has helped you.
- Tell what benefits your friend can get from it.

Writing Task 2 (an essay)

Older people often say that their life was better in the past than it is now. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Speaking test

Interview

- Can I see your ID?
- What is your full name?
- What do you want me to call you?
- Let’s talk about your hometown. Where is it?
- What is your hometown famous for?
- Have you studied about the history of your hometown at school?
- Why do you think that students need to study their hometowns’ history at school?
- Do you like meeting people?
- What are the common places where people prefer to meet?
- What were the places where people liked to meet in the past?
- What sports did you like to play when you were a child?
- What things can children learn from playing sports?
- Would you like your future children to play sports too?

Cue Card

Talk about a job that you would like to have. Please include in your answer:

- What job would it be?
- Why do you want to have that job?
- What skills are necessary to do the job?

Discussion

- Is it easy to find a job here in your country?
- What do you think people do first to have a job?
- What are the qualities that people must have so they can be employed easily?
- What are the qualities the bosses must have so they will be followed by their employees?
- Do you think it is important for the boss and employees to have a good working relationship?
- What do you think are the common complaints of the workers?

Foreign languages remain a nightmare for Vietnamese students

VietNamNet Bridge – Foreign language centers have been mushrooming in Vietnam, especially in big cities like Hanoi or HCM City. However, despite the the number of foreign language centers, foreign languages remain a nightmare for Vietnamese students.

Foreign languages are barriers?

A mini survey conducted by VietNamNet’s reporters on 300 students from six high schools and universities in Hanoi, Da Nang and HCM City in November 2010 showed that most of student are “afraid of learning foreign languages”.

263 polled students said that foreign language exams are always their biggest fear in every exam season. Analysts say that most students just learn foreign languages in order to pass exams and get university degrees, while they do not think they will use foreign languages in their future jobs.

A noteworthy observation from the survey is that 78 percent of students said they cannot speak a grammatically correct sentence. Meanwhile, 81 percent of students said they cannot understand foreigners in conversations.

Foreign language teachers also say they can feel the fear of foreign languages from students. Nguyen Huy Hoang, Head of the English Division under the Huynh Thuc Khang High School in Quang Ngai province, said that though students are forced to learn foreign languages for seven years at high school, most of Vietnamese students, after finishing high school, still cannot speak any foreign languages.

“Vietnamese students are much inferior to regional students in listening and speaking,” he noted.

The same is occurring with university education. Dr Lam Quang Dong, Dean of the English Faculty under the Foreign Language University of the Hanoi National University, said that university lecturers regularly have to reteach what students learned in high school because many students are “foreign language illiterate again”.

Dr Dong thinks that the training curriculums now applied in Vietnam’s education system is still problematic, which does not allow students to intensively practice the four necessary skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Meanwhile, teachers do not have many opportunities to go abroad to practice English to improve their knowledge, while learners do not spend much time or effort to learn foreign languages.

Therefore, bad foreign language skills are the biggest barrier which prevents many talented students from going abroad to continue their studies. Even though they meet requirements to enroll in prestigious universities in the world, many students have to give up their dream of going studying abroad simply because they are not proficient in English.

What to do?

In order to improve foreign language skills, many students go to foreign language centers, where they are told that they can practice the four necessary skills intensively. However, many of them have not fulfilled their dream.

Hoang Hai Long, a fourth year student at the Agriculture University, said he went to three foreign language centers. Especially, he spent 4-5 million dong on a training course for intensive preparation for the IELTS exam. However, despite his efforts, Long still does not have the “ticket” to go studying abroad.

Pham Nguyen Y Ly, a 12^th grader at the Vietnam Germany High School in Hanoi, said she has given up on a famous foreign language center, because her French has not improved after six months of learning there.

VietNamNet’s reporters interviewed two learners of IEC Cambridge to try to find out why the English skills of many learners do not improve even though they have attended several different training courses. Nguyen Thi Cam Van, who has scored a 7.0 on the IELTS, said that not all foreign language centers can provide high quality training. Nguyen Thanh Tung, who scored a 7.76 on the IELTS and is now a student at UK Aston – Birmingham University, said every training school has its own advantages, and learners need to choose the school which can satisfy their requirements.

Tuyet Ngan

The Triple-E Maersk container ship will be the world's largest ship and the most efficient

Korea’s Daewoo is to build the world’s largest ship for Mærsk line. The US$190 million, 400 metre ‘Triple-E’ class bohemoths will carry 18,000 TEU containers, 2500 more than the current largest, Emma Mærsk. Superior economies of scale will enable the new monsters to surpass the industry record for both fuel efficiency and (20% better) CO2 emissions per container moved. In a move set to impact global shipping transport costs and efficiencies, ten Triple-E ships will go into service between 2013 and 2015 with a further 20 ships optioned. If the same number of containers were loaded on a train, it would be 110 km long. If they were stacked on top of one another, they’d reach beyond the stratosphere (47 km). Read More

Thailand grows despite disconnect

Future shock

"The country's future is shadowed by a lack of investment by Thais themselves, and by the government in education. That poses much higher risks than any political turmoil, some economists have warned."

read more...

ESMT Middle East & Central Asia Scholarship: MBA in Germany

European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) was founded in 2002 to establish an international business school, based in Germany, with a distinct European focus.

ESMT awards one prestigious scholarship to an outstanding male or female candidate applying to either program from a Middle Eastern or Central Asian country.

You can apply for the Executive MBA and Full-time MBA.

ELIGIBILITY

* you are a permanent resident in one of the following countries:

Lebanon, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar

* proficiency in English

HOW TO APPLY

[1] apply for the MBA online:
http://www.esmt.org/en/apply/mba

[2] submit an extra scholarship essay

Candidates will be expected to actively promote the school in the respective regions throughout and after their studies, e.g. by participating in the ESMT mentoring program.

[3] CV/ Resume

[4] two letters of recommendation

[5] four essays

[6] GMAT score

[7] TOEFL score or IELTS

[8] Interview (by invitation only)

DEADLINE

March 31, 2011

MORE INFO

For more information, please visit the website:
http://www.esmt.org/eng/mba-emba/full-time-mba

Phone: +49 (0) 30 212 31-1400
Fax: +49 (0) 30 212 31-1409
Email: mba@esmt.org

Thailand's Nation Group in JV with South-East Asia University

Nation Multimedia Group (NMG), in a joint venture with the South-East Asia University, is all set to penetrate the local education market.

Named "Nation U", the joint venture will spend Bt250 million on the endeavour. The group has already signed a Bt175-million takeover deal with Siritaj Rojanapruk, owner and licence holder of Lampang's Yonok University. Under the deal, Nation U will own and operate the Yonok University, which has a 164-rai campus and 14,000-square metre building. The new institute, to be called Nation University (North Campus), is currently accepting applications.

NMG chairman Thanachai Theerapattanawong said the new university would provide courses in the fields of mass communications, business administration, liberal arts (English and Chinese), and health science. The campus aims to produce 1,300 graduates in the next four years and up to 1,800 in a decade.

In addition to the campus in Lampang, Nation U is also setting up a Bangkok campus at the i-Tower on Vibhavadi-Rangsit road. The Bangkok campus, which will offer courses in mass communications, business administration as well as master's degrees, aims to produce 1,000 graduates in four years and up to 2,000 in a decade.

"I believe that NMG has a strong potential, especially in terms of its network and skills in the media field," Siritaj said.

Thanachai, meanwhile, explained that the group's entry into the educational sector was in line with NMG's mission statement - "to inform, to educate and to entertain".

He said the new joint venture had Bt50 million in registered capital of which 25 per cent has been paid up.

NMG owns a 55 per cent stake in the joint venture, while the remaining 45 per cent is held by Sermsin Samalapa and the South-East Asia University. The South-East Asia University has been in operation for 30 years now and currently has more than 7,000 students.

"Education has played a significant role in the economic, social and political development of Thailand. We [NMG] want to create a medium-sized, but top-quality university in the country so we will be able to transfer specialised knowledge and skills in the field of mass communication, especially in terms of new digital and social media, as well as business administration," the group's chairman explained.

He said Nation U also expected to open new campuses in the South and Northeast in the next five years.

Thanachai said print media currently contributed to 80 per cent of NMG's revenues, but in the next three years, it expects the educational side of the business to show a significant increase from less than 5-per-cent to about 30 per cent.

He added that NMG expected its sale revenue to rise by 15 per cent this year. The company earned more than Bt3 billion in total revenues and more than Bt300 million in profits last year.

Suthichai Yoon, the group's editor-in-chief, said NMG itself had joined up with many local universities to help raise the standard of education in the areas of mass communications and business administration. The move is to educate a new generation that will grow up to become leaders in society. The youngsters will be taught to not just follow textbooks, but instead come up with out-of-the-box ideas, he said.

"Driven by the new digital media technology, mass communications will play a bigger role in the Thai society. Media firms will go from being just media organisations to knowledge organisations that are set to provide valuable knowledge to the public," Suthichai explained.

Cambodia opens Turkish education university

Deputy PM Arınç opens Zaman University in Cambodia

22 February 2011, Tuesday / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL 0

Zaman University was opened in Cambodia, a country with a 14-year history of Turkish education.

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has opened the first Turkish university in the Far East, in Cambodia, a country with a 14-year history of Turkish education.

“Our purpose is to serve the youth of this country,” said Arınç, who spoke on Sunday at a dinner held at the Nagaworld Hotel in Phnom Penh to celebrate the opening of the university. “We believe that the valued youth of Cambodia will have access to a very good education at this university, will serve their country to elevate it, and will establish bridges of friendship between Turkey and Cambodia,” Arınç added. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An thanked Turkish entrepreneurs for their initiatives in the area of education and remarked that two years ago he had asked them for an institution of higher education. An shared Arınç’s sentiments and said the students will bring Turkey and Cambodia closer together. Zaman University Rector Erkan Polatdemir spoke about the qualities of the university and that it meets world standards in technology. He added that they opened departments at the university in which the language of instruction is English, considering the areas of professional needs in Cambodia. Among the participants were Cambodia’s Education Minister Im Sethy, Turkey’s Ambassador to Bangkok Oğuz Çelikkol, more than 200 Turkish businesspeople, educators from Zaman International School (ZIS), a private school in Cambodia’s Capitol Phnom Penh founded by Atilla Yusuf Güleker, a former journalist of the Zaman daily. Ali Kökten, chairman of the board of directors of the university and chairman of ZIS, said that their young students had successfully participated in the International Science Olympiad and returned with several gold medals. Following the opening speeches, students from the international school sang songs in Turkish as well as in their native language. Opened in 1997, ZIS offers education to children from kindergarten to grade 12. All lessons are taught in English, Turkish and Khmer. The high school, which currently has 900 students enrolled, is housed in a newly built and designed building in Tonle Bassac, Phnom Penh. ZIS is certified by the Cambodian Ministry of Education and is a member of CIS (Council of International Schools).